Paul Verhoeven has been trying to make a biopic on the life of Jesus Christ for years. That is a sentence that feels odd writing, but it is true. After many failed attempts to get the project off the ground Verhoeven published much of his research in the form of a book a few years back.

Well that book might have finally broken the clogged dam that was stopping that project as a screenwriter has just been attached. Coming Soon is reporting that Roger Avary has been brought on to adapt Verhoeven’s book into a feature:

A passion project of his for decades, Verhoeven released a book, “Jesus of Nazareth,” in 2010 that collected his years of research. In it, he attempts to construct a secular view of the religious icon. Deemed controversial by some, Verhoeven’s historical account paints Jesus not as the son of God, but as a remarkable, mortal thinker whose innovative principles are responsible for the creation and spread of Christianity.

Roger Avary and Paul Verhoeven are likely two of the last people anyone would ever expect to be involved with a serious biopic on the historical side of who Jesus Christ was. Both are actually coming off of years of industry silence, with Verhoeven taking most of the last decade off and Avary having been spending serious time in jail for a tragic manslaughter case.

The symmetry of this film being a bit of a redemption for these two filmmakers is not lost on us here at The Flickcast. We will no doubt be keeping a close eye on Jesus of Nazareth so stay tuned for any and all updates as they come in.